Watch-barrel.



N0. 672,655. Patented Apr. 23, |90l. J. THALHFER.

WATCH BARREL.

(Application led Apr. 4, 1900.) (No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT Carica..

JOSEPH THALI-IOFER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATCH-BARREL..

SPCIFICATION forming' part 0f Letters Patent NO. 672,655, dated April23, 1901.

Application filed April 4, 1900. Serial No. 11,425. (No model.)l

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH THALHOFER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, in the State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inMainspring- Barrels for Watches or the Like, of which the following is adescription.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference-lettersindicate like or corresponding parts, Figure l is a sectional Viewillustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a section of the same, taken inline 2 2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the winding-arbor ofthe same.

The object of my invention is to produce a mainspring-barrel auditsattendant elements in a Winding mechanism which shall be simple inconstruction and effective in operation and in which the parts may bemore readily and easily assembled or disconnected than in the similarconstructions now in use.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction,arrangement, and combination of the parts herein shown and described,and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, in which is shown the preferred mode of embodying myinvention in a watch-movement, A and B represent the plates orequivalent bridge parts of a watchmovement; C, the main wheel; D, thespringbarrel proper; E, the main arbor, and F the ratchet-wheel of awatch winding mechanism.

G is an annular winding arbor or stud of novel construction, and H isthe mainspring within the barrel.

As shown in the drawings, the shoulder c upon the main arbor E ispositioned within a suitable recess in the main wheel C in the usualmanner. Ascrew-threaded nut K, engaging the main arbor E, is positionedupon the opposite side of the wheel C and serves to retain the fixedrelation of the main wheel with the arbor E. Equivalent means ofwell-known construction may be employed for the same general purpose, ifpreferred. A jewel-setting I, engaged with the plate B in any preferredmanner, retainsa jewel iin position for the reception of the end of themain arbor, as shown. The spring-barrel D is detachably connected withthe main wheel C and rotates therewith. As shown in the drawings, thisengagement is secured by means of the frictional contact of the barrelwith the upturned flanges of the main wheel. The niainspring H issecured at its outer end to the barrel D or adjacent parts in any pre'ferred manner, as by a T-brace 7i, while the inner end is constructed toengage in any preferred manner with the annular winding arbor or stud G.In the preferred form the engagement of the spring with theWinding-arboris so made that the latter may be removed with the platewithout disturbing the spring and barrel. The winding arbor or stud Gextends through the plate A in a manner permitting free rotation thereinand is provided with means securing it in such position. The shouldersg, positioned beneath said plate and preferably located within thecircular opening in the spring-barrel, as shown, have this function.The` upper surface of the winding-arbor G is constructed to suitablyengage with the ratchet-wheel F. In the preferred form an angular orirregular extension G is formed upon the upper surface of thewinding-arbor, while a corresponding` opening is formed in or throughthe ratchetwheel F to engage therewith. In the preferred form also thejewel-settingLis seated in a suitable depression g', also formed on theend of the winding-arbor, and a collarM, located in a suitabledepression f' in the ratchet-wheel F, is secured to the windingarbor inany preferred manner, as by screws fm, securing all of the partstogether. The jewel-setting L is provided with a jewel N, within whichthe end of the main arbor E is pivotally journaled. It is obvious that asimple bushing may be placed in the end ol' the arbor G or on the plateB in lieu of the jewelsetting and jewel, if preferred; but such bushingsare obviouslyinferior equivalents of the jewel. As before stated, theend of the spring may be secured to the winding-arbor C in any preferredmanner. As shown, a hook h' or its equivalent for this purpose may beformed in the end of the spring to engage with a corresponding notch gin the winding-arbor, and the notch in the winding-arbor is alongitudinal groove which, as the arbor is placed in position, slidinglyengages the hook on the end of the spring, suitably connecting the two.

The mode of operation is obvious to those skilled in the art. Theratchet-wheel is provided with'a click of any well-known form (notshown) and with suitable connections with the stem of a watch-movement.(Also not shown.) Upon operating the ratchet'.- whecl F by itsconnections with the stem the winding` arbor or stud G is rotated7winding the spring which drives the main wheel in the usual manner.` Theparts may be disconnected by simply removing the screws securing theplate Ain position, when the plate, carrying the Various connectingparts, including the winding-arbor, maybe easily disconnected from themovement and lifted off without removing the spring from the barrel orinterfering with the barrels connection with the main wheel.

The various connecting parts of the wind- Iing arbor or stud G may beeasily disconnected by simply removing the connectingscrews m.

It will be observed that in my invention, as shown in the drawings, themainspringbarrel D is detachably mounted upon the main wheel C and movestherewith, it having no other connection or engagement with themain-wheel arbor E and that the winding-arbor G has no other connectionwith the barrel D than by its connection with the inner end of thespring H. It is obvious that the parts may be reversed without departingfrom the spirit of my invention. Such changes, however, do not involvemy invention and to a skilled mechanic having knowledge of my inventionaresimply such as would naturally occur. The essential point inconsidering the relation of these parts in my invention is that the mainwheel and the barrel are secured to each other and rotate together inthe movement and that one or the` other, as preferred, is suitablymounted upon the main arbor, both the spring-barrel and the main Wheelthus rotating with the arbor.

Another important feature of my invention consists in providing` awatch-movement with an independent annular winding arbor or stud,through which the main arbor loosely extends and in which or upon a partcarried by the arbor the end of the main arbor is pivotally journaledand, if desired, so journaled in a jewel provided for that purpose.

After having thus described my improvement and one way to practicallyemploy the same it is obvious that various immaterial modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit of my invention. Hence l donot wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form andarrangement shown.

It will also be understood that by the use of the term plate in theclaims I include bridges and equivalent parts. Where, also, in theclaims I refer to the outer end of the mainspring as attached to thebarreh7 I wish to be understood as meaning secured to the inclosingwall, whether the same be a part of the barrel proper or of the mainwheel.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, ifsl. A mainspring-winding mechanism,comprising an annular winding arbor or stud journaled in the movement-plateand provided with means for pivotally supporting the end of the mainarbor, and with means for engaging the mainspring, in combination with amain arbor extending through the windingar ,or and pivotally journaledin the support thereon, a main wheel and a mainspring-barrel connectedto rotate together, mounted upon and carried by the main arbor, and amainspring within the barrel having one end attached to the barrel andthe other end to the winding-arbor, substantially as described.

2. A mai nspring-winding mechanism for watches, comprising an annularwinding-arbor jonrnaled within the movement-plate, in combination with amain arbor having its end pivotally journaled in the annular arbor, amain wheel C mounted upon and carried by the main arbor, a spring-barrelD detachably connected to and carried by the main wheel,

and a mainspring H having its outer end attached to the barrel and itsinner end to the winding-arbor, substantially as described.

3. ln a watch winding mechanism, a main arbor pivotally supported in themovement, in combination with a main wheel and a mainspring-barrelconnected to rotate together as a unit and mounted upon and rotatingwith the arbor, the connected main wheel and mainspring-barrel arrangedto form a chamber for the mainspring supported by the arbor,substantially as described.

4. n a watch winding mechanism, a main arbor pivot-ally supported in themovement, in combination with a main wheel and a mainspring-barrelconnected to rotate together as a unit and arranged to form a chamberfor the mainspring, said chamber being` supported by the main arbor, anda mainspring within the chamber having its outer end attached to thewall thereof and having its inner end constructed to engage with awinding-arbor, substantially as described.

5. In a watch winding mechanism, a main arbor pivotally supported in themovement, in combination with a main wheel and a mainspring-barrelconnected to rotate together as a unit and arranged to form a chamberfor the mainspring, said chamber being mounted upon the main arbor androtating therewith, a mainspring within the chamber having its outer endattached to the wall'thereof, and a rotatable annular winding-arborloosely embracing the main arbor and connected with the inner end of themainspring, substantially as described.

G. The combination, with a movement plate, of an annular arbor journaledtherein,

IIO

a main arbor journaled in a bearing carried by said annular arbor, amain Wheel secured to said main arbor, a barrel detachably connected toand movable with said main wheel and rotatable about said annular arbor,a Winding-wheel secured to said arbor, a mainspring secured at its outerend to said barrel and at its inner end detachably secured to saidannular arbor, whereby the annular arbor can be removed withoutdisturbing the barrel, spring and main Wheel, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a watch winding mechanism, an annular Winding-arbor G rotatablysecured to the movement-plate A, provided with means for pivotallysupporting the end of the main arbor and with means for detachablyengaging the mainspring, and a winding-wheel secured to said arbor, theseveral parts being carried by and removable with the plate A, incombination with a main arbor having its end pivotally supported in theannular arbor, a main wheel, and a mainspring-barrel con` nected torotate together as a unit and arranged to form a chamber for themainspring, said chamber being mounted upon the main arbor and rotatingtherewith, and a mainspring within the chamber having its outer endattached to the Wall thereof, and its inner end detachably connectedwith the annular arbor, substantially as described.

8. In a watch mechanism, the combination With a plate having abearing-opening therein, of an annular arbor journaled in saidbearing-opening and having a shoulder g on one side of said plate, aWindingwheel fixed to said annular arbor on the other side of said platewhereby the annular arbor is accurately sustained in proper position,said annular arbor having a bearing for a main arbor and being adaptedfor the attachment of a mainspring, substantially as described.

9. In a Watch'mechanism, the combination with a plate having abearing-opening` therein, of an annular arbor journaled in saidbearing-opening and having a shoulder g on one side of said plate, awinding-wheel on the other side of said plate and fixed to said annulararbor, whereby the annular arbor is accuratelysustained in properposition, a jewelsetting for a main arbor mounted on said annular arbor,said annular arbor being adapted for the attachment of a mainspring,substantially as described.

l0. In a Watch mechanism, the combination with a plate having abearing-opening therein, of an annular arbor journaled in saidbearing-opening and provided With means upon the same for retaining thearbor in relative position, upon one side of the plate, a Winding-wheel,and a collar securing said Winding-Wheel to said arbor on the other sideof the plate, whereby the annular arbor is accurately sustained inproper position, said annular arbor having a bea-ring for a' main arborand being adapted for the attachment of a mainspring, substantially asdescribed.

ll. In a Watch mechanism, the combination with a plate having abearing-openin g therein, of an annular arbor journaled in saidbearing-opening and provided with means upon the same for retaining thearbor in relative position, upon one side of the plate, a winding-wheel,and a collar securing said winding-wheel to said arbor on the other sideo1` the plate, whereby the annular arbor is accurately sustained inproper position, said annular arborbeiug provided with a jeweled bearingfor a main arbor and being adapted for the attachment of a mainspring,substantially as described.

JOSEPH THALIIOFER..

